Drawing device



1968 J. N. MERCORELLI 3,416,231

DRAWING DEVICE Filed June 7. 1967 INVENTOR. JOHN MERCORELLI BY PM, Ba; 750414 ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,416,231 DRAWING DEVICE John N. Mercorelli, 37 Halleck St., Newark, NJ. 07104 Filed June 7, 1967, Ser. No. 644,355 9 Claims. (CI. 33-18) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A drawing device in which a movable weight is skillfully moved in a housing in a chosen direction and distance by tilting, or by tilting and percussing the housing; the movement of the weight moves a contact finger mounted on the weight, to scrape off a coating from the underside of a transparent portion of the housing, thereby making an externally visible design.

There are known drafting devices that enable one to draw by manipulating a stylus to scrape a coating from a transparent portion of a housing. The stylus is mechanically coupled to one or two control levers, or knobs, which positively control its direction.

It has been found that drawing can be performed in a less positively controlled manner, with much more skill exercised, if the control members are eliminated and the weight is free to move in any direction, being moved solely by tilting, causing it to slide gravitationally, or by percussing the housing, and tilting, causing the weight to move by percussion or by gravity, or by both external infiuences combined. A higher degree of skill is required to control the random excursions of the weight, if a desired design is to be made.

A device of this kind is shown in the drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of the drawing device illustrative of the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a vertical sectional view thereof taken on the line 22 in FIGURE 1; the optional magnet is shown;

FIGURE 3 is a side elevational view of the weight;

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of another species of weight;

FIGURE 5 is a vertical sectional view of another species of housing; and

FIGURE 6 is a perspective view of still another species of weight.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, FIGURE 2 illustrates a housing 11, having a generally flat, smooth top surface or floor 12. The floor 12 has an integral marginal flange 13, disposed in general perpendicularity to the floor 12. A spacing annulus 14 is fitted inside the flange 13; the annulus 14 is lower than the flange, and defines a seat on its top edge 15, for a transparent disc 16.

The housing 11 has a base flange 17, which defines a seat for an external retainer 18. The retainer 18 is annular, and has a bent over, generally horizontal top portion 19, extending inwardly, and an end portion 20 extending downwardly, to contact the top 16, and hold it in place. The retainer 18 may be frictionally engaged with or adhesively secured to the flange 13. Disposed in the housing is a coating material 21. A plurality of pellets 22 are disposed among the coating material. The coating material is preferably composed of minute aluminum powder, platelets, or flakes, which are light in which, and on contact with the disc 16, they will lightly adhere thereto. Other materials such as talc, and other metal powders which will adhere to the discs 16 may be used. The disc 16 may be made of tough plastic material which is resistant to scarring; or it may be made of glass. The pellets 22 may be glass beads or plastic, and serve to prevent the coating material from clumping or lumping. When the housing 11 ice is violently shaken, the coating material 21 is applied to the bottom of the disc 16 and coats it evenly.

A weight 23 of lead or other heavy material, preferably in the form of a disc is in the housing. This disc has a peripheral channel 24. A resilient annulus 25 clinches the channel 24, and has an upwardly extending portion 26. The upper end 27 thereof is bent downwardly, and a portion 28 touches the bottom of the coated disc 16.

FIGURE 4 shows another species of weight or disc 23, which has a generally hemispherical, resilient lattice 29 of arcuate arms, mounted on a disc-weight 30, with a weight 31 embedded in the disc-weight 30. A pointed scriber 32 normally engages the underside of the coated disc 16.

FIGURE 6 shows still another species of weight or disc 23 upon which a conical helix 33 of resilient spring wire is attached. The upper end portion 34 of the helix 33 contacts the coated bottom of the disc 16. 1

FIGURE 5 shows a different assembly; there is th same housing 11, having the same flange 13. No separate annulus 14 is used, but the disc 16 and annulus are formed integrally. The same retainer 18 with top 19, and end 20 keeps the disc 16 and integral annulus 14 in place.

An additional, although optional, feature of the invention may be provided if the weight 23 is made of ferrous material. A separate external magnet 35 may be used to help guide, move, and control the weight 23, either with or without tilting or percussion.

- The general appearance of the drawing device in use is as shown in FIGURE 1. The device has been vigorously shaken and the coating material 21 has adhered to the underside of the top 16.

The housing 11 is tilted or tilted and percussed. This causes the weight 23 to move about on the floor 12 with the portion 28, top 32 or end portion 34 in contact with the coating material 21 adhering to the underside of the top 16. The material is scraped off, along the contacted area, leaving a visible mark. By skillfully tilting or tilting and percussing the housing 11, the direction and distanceof-travel of the disc 23 is controlled and a picture 35 is drawn. The picture 35 is destroyed by shaking the housing 11, to recoat the underside of the disc 16.

The foregoing description is merely intended to illustrate an embodiment of the invention. The component parts have been shown and described. They each may have substitutes which may perform a substantially similar function; such substitutes may be known as proper substitutes for the said components and may have actually known or invented before the present invention; these substitutes are contemplated as being within the scope of the appended claims, although they are not specifically catalogued herein.

What is claimed:

1. A drawing device comprising (a) a housing,

(b) a transparent top in the housing,

(0) a generally flat floor in the housing,

(d) coating material in the housing adherent to, and

sufficient to coat the underside of the top,

(e) a weight movable on the fiat bottom of the housing,

(f) a finger attached to the weight, extending upwardly therefrom, and in resilient contact with the underside of the transparent top.

2. A drawing device comprising (a) the device according to claim 1, and

(b) the weight being movable when the housing is percussed.

3. A drawing device comprising (a) the device according to claim 1, and

(b) the weight slidable in response to gravity when the floor is tilted.

4. A drawing device comprising (a) the device according to claim 1, and

3 4 (b) the weight movable when the housing is percussed, (c) a generally vertical downturned flange on the top and when the floor is tilted. engaged with the flange on the housing. 5. A drawing device comprising 9. A drawing device comprising (a) the device according to claim 1, and (a) the device according to claim 1, (b) the finger attached to the weight by a resilient lat- 5 (b) a generally vertical flange on the housing, and

tice of generally arcuate hemispheric arms. (c) an annular retainer embracing the flange on the 6. A drawing device comprising housing and engaged with the transparent top. (a) the device according to claim 1, and (b) the finger attached to the weight by an integral R ferences Cited helical, resilient portion. 7. A drawing device comprising 10 UNITED STATFS PATENTS (a) the device according to claim 1, 3,055,113 9/ 1962 J (b) a generally vertical flange on the housing, and 3,114,547 12/1963 JOSIYIL (czhariognnulus 1ns1de the flange defining a seat for 15 HARRY N. HAROIAN Primary Examiner. 8. A drawmg device comprislng US. Cl- X'R.

(a) the device according to claim 1, (b) a generally vertical flange on the housing, and 46-239; 273-1; 35-66 

